Alexander Koritsas was one of the youngest of 16 children in a very small and poor household. 2 died young of illness, and the mother didn’t work and died shortly after they did. Growing up poor and not having many options, once he reached the age of 18 there wasn’t much to do other than keep on living life the same way on a farm, or join the merchant marines. Many of his older brothers had joined the marines, and were station in London, while shipping German soldiers over to the US and shipping US troops to Europe. My Grandfathers generation were the first to emigrate in the 1930's to London from Cyprus. Alexander wasn’t in the Merchant Marines, but knew he’d had a better life in England. Alexander married Ana Tavlos in 1946 in Cyprus, and then moved to London and stayed with one of his brothers until he found a job and a place to live. Once he had found somewhere, Ana moved too. My grandfather was from Patriki, Cyprus, and my grandma was from Gastria, Cyprus.
We own a beach less than a mile away from Gastria, Cyprus. The land that my grandparents are from and the beach we own are both on the Turkish side of Cyprus.
One of my great uncles was ferrying American troops to Europe during WW2 and bring German prisoners back to the US, and while doing this his ship was struck by German torpedos on two different occasions, in both cases he dreamt about it the night before it happened and so, was prepared with all belonging tied around his body ready for the torpedos to strike. He survived in both cases. -- just an interesting story..
Alexander Koritsas was one of the youngest of 16 children in a very small and poor household. 2 died young of illness, and the mother didn’t work and died shortly after they did. Growing up poor and not having many options, once he reached the age of 18 there wasn’t much to do other than keep on living life the same way on a farm, or join the merchant marines. Many of his older brothers had joined the marines, and were station in London, while shipping German soldiers over to the US and shipping US troops to Europe. My Grandfathers generation were the first to emigrate in the 1930's to London from Cyprus. Alexander wasn’t in the Merchant Marines, but knew he’d had a better life in England. Alexander married Ana Tavlos in 1946 in Cyprus, and then moved to London and stayed with one of his brothers until he found a job and a place to live. Once he had found somewhere, Ana moved too. My grandfather was from Patriki, Cyprus, and my grandma was from Gastria, Cyprus.
We own a beach less than a mile away from Gastria, Cyprus. The land that my grandparents are from and the beach we own are both on the Turkish side of Cyprus.
One of my great uncles was ferrying American troops to Europe during WW2 and bring German prisoners back to the US, and while doing this his ship was struck by German torpedos on two different occasions, in both cases he dreamt about it the night before it happened and so, was prepared with all belonging tied around his body ready for the torpedos to strike. He survived in both cases. -- just an interesting story..
Bibliography
Kerry Koritsas
Online Image. No date. May 2, 2009. <http://www.salsapower.com/cities/citiesimages/cyprus_map.jpg>.
Online Image. No date. May 2, 2009. <http://www.religiousintelligence.co.uk/maps/display_maps.php%3FCountryID%3D111&usg=